BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY Leann Hackman-Carty, CEO Economic Developers Alberta
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW About disasters Common challenges disasters pose to communities How to help businesses before and after a disaster Example: 2016 Alberta Wildfires Questions
ABOUT DISASTERS
ABOUT DISASTERS Types of Disasters: Natural Man-made Technological Crises and disasters can damage your economy and scare businesses away. It can take years to recover.
ABOUT DISASTERS
ABOUT DISASTERS
DISASTER RESOURCES
COMMON CHALLENGES POST-DISASTER
POST-DISASTER CHALLENGES Who s on first? Vulnerabilities you didn t know you had Overwhelming communication challenges Navigating government programs Retaining businesses from large to smallsupporting them before they fail
HELPING BUSINESSES BEFORE & AFTER A DISASTER
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION A Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) program is the most important economic development tactic your municipality/region should have in place. Who s in your back yard? Get to know your business community.
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION Data: Baseline community economic data Spatial business data collection BRE database Business licensing Tiered re-entry system for businesses Promote business continuity planning and education on commercial insurance
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION Encourage hazard mitigation investments Plan to: Establish a Business Recovery Hotline Establish a Business Recovery Centre (virtual or brick and mortar) Create an Economic Response & Recovery Team Convene topically-focused workshops related to common recovery issues (eg. finances, cleanup, insurance, workforce, marketing etc.)
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION Coordinate business assistance resources from various providers Provide regular, relevant communication to your business community Commit to work with your business community on readiness, response and recovery efforts. It s a marathon not a sprint!
2016 ALBERTA WILDFIRES: A CASE STUDY Disaster Video
CASE STUDY Wildfire displaces over 80,000 residents, and destroys 1595 structures (2579 dwelling units) Costliest disaster in Canadian history ($3.58 billion) With the whole community evacuated, spread across the country, how can the community contact businesses to find out what their immediate needs are?
CASE STUDY May 25, Council approves Business and Economic Recovery Plan May 30, Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) opens the Wood Buffalo Business Recovery Hotline in collaboration with the RMWB Economic Development Funded solely by the Canadian Red Cross
CASE STUDY By August 31 the Hotline: Handled over 15,000 calls Registered 4,134 companies Completed a needs survey and provided case management Processed $1000 emergency grants for 3,296 companies Implemented a social media campaign
CASE STUDY Back to Business Resource Centre opened. Business Welcome Walks Ask an Expert Program/Learning Events Back to Business Coaching Program Home Shows/Expos, Job Fair Networking Events Canadian Red Cross Phase 2/3 Funding RMWB Small Business Workforce Support
CASE STUDY EDA Technical Assistance Visit/Report: 10-member team of technical experts Third party perspective 1 week of stakeholder meetings Over 200 interviews Over 50 immediate, short, medium and long term business and economic recovery recommendations
CLOSING COMMENTS Understand your risks. Be prepared. It can happen to you. Know who is on first. Make Business Retention & Expansion a priority. You need to work with your business community BEFORE and AFTER a disaster. Don't reinvent the wheel. Get started today.
QUESTIONS?
CONTACT INFORMATION Leann Hackman-Carty CEO, Economic Developers Alberta leann@edaalberta.ca